Onco Actu du 15 mars 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
Early-life exposure to microbiota restricts colon cancer later in life [ecancer News] In this study, the researchers investigated whether microbiota in this early period could influence disease in adulthood. The study compared two groups of mice.
Oral bacteria in pancreas linked to more aggressive tumours [Karolinska Institutet] They found that the presence of bacterial DNA was higher in patients who had undergone invasive pancreas endoscopy, a procedure that involves the insertion of a flexible tube into the mouth to examine and treat pancreatic conditions thus the possible transfer of oral bacteria into the pancreas.
	2.6 ETIOLOGIE - ENVIRONNEMENT
Breast cancer risk tied to DDT varies by exposure timing [Reuters] Women exposed to DDT before age 14, particularly in infancy and early childhood, were most likely to develop breast cancer, before age 50 and before they went through menopause, researchers report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. However, women exposed to DDT after infancy had a greater risk of developing cancer later, at ages 50 to 54.
	3.1 PRÉVENTION - TABAC
Tobacco, E-Cigarette Lobbyists Circle as F.D.A. Chief Exits [NY Times] Opponents are already swooping in, making their case to Congress and reaching out to the White House. A coalition of conservative organizations that oppose government intervention in the marketplace has harshly criticized Dr. Gottlieb’s crackdown on e-cigarettes.
	3.1.1 PRÉVENTION - TABAC - E-CIGS
FDA rolls out vaping policy to make it harder for minors to buy flavored products [Washington Post] The Food and Drug Administration, responding to the surge in underage vaping, on Wednesday issued a much-anticipated policy designed to make it harder for young people to acquire many types of e-cigarettes.
	4. DÉPISTAGE, DIAGNOSTIC ET PRONOSTIC
Early Detection Is Possible for Pancreatic Cancer [NY Times] This is a tough cancer that not enough people have wanted to study, one that until recently didn’t receive much research funding.
Cancer screening: A modest proposal for prevention [Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine] Why not just remove everybody’s breasts, prostate gland, and colon before cancer arises? If proponents of aggressive screening believe that the goal is to reduce cause-specific mortality as much as possible, giving little weight or consideration to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, then they ought to embrace universal prophylactic surgery as well.
	4.9 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - SEIN
BRCA Screening Guidelines Too Reliant on Family History, Stakeholders Tell USPSTF [Genome Web] The USPSTF has particular concerns that a broader screening strategy would result in more people getting unclear BRCA test results, in the form of variants of unknown significance, and that this might exacerbate anxiety and prompt unnecessary surgeries.
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
A new approach to drugging a difficult cancer target [MIT] Study suggests an alternative way to treat tumors that are dependent on the cancer-promoting Myc protein.
Drug could alleviate side effects of chemo for breast cancer patients [Stanford Medicine] Joseph Wu and his collaborators created heart cells known as cardiomyocytes and tested how the cells responded to the effects of the well-known chemotherapy drug Herceptin.
	5.12 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES
UK gets early access to Roche’s breast cancer immunotherapy [Pharmaforum] The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) positive opinion applies to patients whose tumours have PD-L1 expression of 1% or more, and who have not received prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease, says the regulator.
Cancer Neoantigens: Implications for Immune Response and Cancer Immunotherapy [ESMO] The investigators performed a comprehensive analysis of alternative splicing across 32 cancer types (The Cancer Genome Atlas) from 8705 patients. The analysis detected alternative splicing events and tumour variants by re-analyzing RNA and whole-exome sequencing data.
	5.12.6 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - AMM
European Commission Approves Merck’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in Combination with Chemotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Adults with Metastatic Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) [Merck] KEYTRUDA is First Anti-PD-1 Therapy Approved in Combination with Chemotherapy in Europe for Adults with Metastatic Squamous NSCLC Regardless of PD-L1 Expression.
Merck notches fourth lung cancer approval in Europe for flagship Keytruda [EndPoints] The approval was based on data from KEYNOTE-407, a late-stage 559-patient study evaluating Keytruda in combination with carboplatin-paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel compared with carboplatin-paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel alone.
	5.12.8 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - ECONOMIE
CAR T cell immunotherapy for lymphoma rejected in Scotland [Cancer Research UK] This decision comes after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved Kymriah for the same group of patients in England in February 2019. NICE had initially said no to the treatment due to uncertainty about long-term benefits.
	5.2 PHARMA
Merck limits orders for bladder cancer drug as demand outstrips supply [Fierce Pharma] Supply shortfalls for BCG have grabbed headlines for years as Sanofi struggled with manufacturing problems.
	5.2.2 PHARMA - FUSIONS & ACQUISITIONS
BMS deal quest gets a boost as Celgene swats aside another Revlimid patent challenge [Fierce Pharma] It’s a win for Bristol, which is working hard to quell investor fears in the face of an attack from activist shareholders.
Bristol-Myers dodges a bullet as PTAB turns down inter partes review pitch for Celgene’s cash cow [EndPoints] Celgene just won another crucial patent skirmish in its ongoing fight to keep its blockbuster revenue pumping in from Revlimid — a key feature in the shaky $74 billion buyout deal that Bristol-Myers Squibb has been defending in a series of appearances over the last few days.
U.S. court rejects Alvogen's patent challenge for Celgene's cancer drug [Reuters] The court’s decision helps in avoiding a potential issue that could unnerve investors ahead of the merger votes, RBC Capital Markets analysts wrote in a research note. Revlimid, Celgene’s cancer drug that brought in $2.55 billion revenue in the fourth quarter of 2018, could face loss of exclusivity from 2022 onwards in the United States.
	5.3 TRAITEMENTS - FDA, EMA, NICE...
Statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on new strategies to modernize clinical trials to advance precision medicine, patient protections and more efficient product development [FDA] Today, we’re releasing additional guidance for industry on strategies that can support the development of precision medicines, and guidance on risk-based monitoring that can be accomplished through the incorporation of more computerized systems for effective oversight.
	6. LUTTE CONTRE LES CANCERS
It takes a village [Science] This special section features research aimed at improving the health of all children with cancer. A key discussion point is why most pediatric cancer patients have not yet benefited from the new “targeted therapies” that have shown promise for adult cancers.
Data sharing for pediatric cancers [Science] We urge the creators of pediatric cancer genomic resources to collaborate and build a real-time federated data-sharing system, and hope that the new U.S. initiative will inspire other countries to link databases rather than just create new siloed regional resources
	6.1 OBSERVATION
One in four cancer patients wait two months for treatment, as NHS performance hits record low [The Telegraph] For January show the worst performance on record, with just 76.2 per cent of cancer patients treated within two months, a drop from 81 per cent the month before.
NHS let me down, says health manager with cancer [BBC News] Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK, said the whole system was being undermined by a lack of staff. "The figures show an NHS under continued strain, with many patients still waiting too long to get a diagnosis and start treatment."
	6.12 ETHIQUE
Adopt a moratorium on heritable genome editing [Nature] By ‘global moratorium’, we do not mean a permanent ban. Rather, we call for the establishment of an international framework in which nations, while retaining the right to make their own decisions, voluntarily commit to not approve any use of clinical germline editing unless certain conditions are met.
Germline gene-editing research needs rules [Nature] In the wake of CRISPR babies, there is an urgent need to better regulate and debate whether, when and how related research should be done.
	6.6 PUBLICATIONS
Making Waves – Assessing the potential impacts of Plan S on the scholarly communications ecosystem [LSE Impact Blog] Our report also shows that in 2017, Plan S funded papers were cited more on average than other papers – and this is true in all research areas. The disparity of citation impact between Plan S funded outputs and others is likely to be a factor in the subsequent reshaping of the publishing landscape.
Norway Joins List of Countries Canceling Elsevier Contracts [The Scientist] The publisher failed to meet requests for better access to research, a consortium of Norwegian institutions says.
	6.7 DMP, BIG DATA & APPLIS
EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute Awarded £45M from UK Government [Genome Web] The EMBL-EBI develops freely available databases, tools, and software to enable the alignment, verification, and visualization of data produced in publicly funded research. It has been a contributor to the Human Cell Atlas and the UK Biobank, among other initiatives.
£45 million boost for big data bioinformatics research to drive discovery [BBSRC] The new funding, delivered through UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strategic Priorities Fund (see: UK Research and Innovation: Themes and programmes), working closely with the Wellcome Trust, will support for the growing need for data resources and associated building infrastructure to underpin the biological data management and analysis, provided by EMBL-EBI.
	6.9 CONTROVERSES
Johnson & Johnson chalks up another talc loss with $29M mesothelioma verdict [Fierce Pharma] A J&J spokeswoman said the company is "disappointed with today’s verdict and will pursue an appeal because Johnson’s Baby Powder does not contain asbestos or cause cancer." The company cited “serious procedural and evidentiary errors” and said it has already moved for a mistrial on eight points.
Johnson & Johnson Hit With $29 Million Verdict in Case Over Talc and Asbestos [NY Times] The company’s stock dipped on Thursday after a California jury found in favor of a woman who claimed that asbestos in the company’s talc-based powders caused her cancer.